THE LOST PROPHECIES

TITLE: THE LOST PROPHECIES
AUTHOR: THE MEDIEVAL MURDERERS
Pages: 418
Date: 27/05/2010
Grade: 4+
Details: no. 4 The Medieval Murderers
Library

The Medieval Murderers are Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Michael Jecks, Philip Gooden, Susanna Gregory and C.J. Sansom, all of whom are historical mystery writers. In this series of books they each write a complete story, in most cases featuring the heroes from their novels all centered around a theme which is introduced in the prologue.
In this book the central theme is a book of prophecies written in the seventh century by an Irish monk named Bran. Over the following centuries the prophecies (seem to) come to pass more often than not accompanied by death and destruction; mysteries that need to be solved by the various heroes of the six authors. 
Five of the stories are indeed set in the past, as you would expect when reading a book by "Medieval Murderers". The last story however, written by C.J. Sansom is set in 2135. Global warming has left most of the world uninhabitable and it looks as if the last of the prophecies my be about to come to pass, leading to the end of mankind on earth.
I enjoyed this book and the introduction it gave me to five authors I hadn't read before and their varied investigators. I was a bit disappointed though that Sansom's story was set in the future since that meant it didn't feature Matthew Shardlake, a character I've grown quite fond.
I will be reading more books in this series as I come across them and may also pick up books by the five authors that were new to me.